Rams Notebook: Motivated Rookie Earns a Spot with the Team's Best Unit

Rams Notebook: Motivated Rookie Earns a Spot with the Team's Best Unit

Article excerpt

Rams defensive end Gerald Rivers was a junior at the University
of Mississippi when the most influential person in his life, his
grandmother, passed away.

Coping with the loss, Rivers lost his focus and ended up
academically ineligible. He tried to recover, but not quickly enough
to salvage his senior season at Ole Miss.

"I did everything the counselors told me I needed to do and they
made sure all the paperwork was in place," the 23-year-old recalled
earlier this week. "I felt like I'd let my grandmother down and I
was determined to make it right."

But about three weeks into last season, the NCAA denied Rivers'
appeal.

"I feel like God puts you through tests in life and this one
definitely helped make me a better man," he said. "Instead of
getting down again, I took it as a challenge to go back to school
and finish what I started. I got my degree and I went back to train
in Georgia; I just kept grinding, working to get better.

"Not being able to play football, re-lit my passion for the
game."

Rivers, an athletic end who stands 6 feet 5 and weighs 258
pounds, flashed that passion throughout training camp and the
preseason, finishing as one of the team's statistical leaders with
10 tackles and a sack.

"Making plays is what the NFL is all about," he said.

Veteran defensive end Chris Long said Rivers made an excellent
early impression.

"Preseason is a big deal for everybody to get their reps and get
better, but it's especially important for rookies to go out and make
an impact," Long said. "He made people take notice of him."

Rivers has fit in quickly with the Rams' strongest units.

"To stick with this group, as deep as we are, it's a testament to
his talent and also to the way he approaches practice," Long said.
"He needs to work to keep getting better in all areas of his game,
like any rookie, but to make this group is pretty impressive.

"We're a tight-knit group you can't be sensitive and be part of
our D-line but he's worked hard to fit in. …